Podge Collins: Davy Fitzgerald won't be changing his mind

PODGE Collins has revealed that Davy Fitzgerald effectively made his mind up for him when choosing which code to represent Clare in next year by forcing him to make a decision.

The 2013 Hurler of the Year nominee, also one of Clare's most talented footballers, was informed by Davy Fitzgerald that his dual commitments were no longer acceptable to hurling management in 2015.

"Davy felt it didn't work last year and that's fair enough so definitely in 2015 it won't be happening and I don't think I'll be changing his mind, to be honest," he explained.

"I tried (to put his case to him.). 'It's nothing personal, there's no hard feelings,' he said, 'look I felt it didn't work this year' and I said, 'if that's your feeling on it, there's no player bigger than the manager of Clare, you've the final word'.

"I was in work and getting down, like I didn't feel well," added Collins, who this year won a Clare club double with the Cratloe hurlers and footballers.

BAD MOOD

"I was in a bad mood and getting grumpy with people I shouldn't have been getting grumpy with.

"I always said from a young age, from 14s - I never knew I'd be playing with Clare senior - but from a young age I said if anybody made me choose between one or the other I would go to the other because I just love them both. I don't know what people think of that but that is kind of what it came down to."

Collins stressed, however, that his father, Colm's, position as footballer manager had no bearing on his selection. Nor did the fact that he had already won a hurling All-Ireland.

"The last thing I wanted was to have to come out with a decision and then people in the hurling and football community were asking me 'what do you want to do?'

"Davy said he wanted me to pick one and he'd love to have me and I said I was going to give the football a go and that was it, a stonewall decision."